Model and Strategy
In 2019, #cut50 led the effort to pass the California Primary Caregiver Diversion Act (SB394) — first-of-its-kind legislation to set up diversion courts for caregivers of dependent children. These courts keep families together by referring defendants, pre-plea, to critical mental health/substance abuse treatment services instead of incarceration.
In 2020, #cut50 will play a key role in the bill’s implementation. We see a monumental opportunity to shift court culture towards prioritizing treatment. We will partner with state agencies to provide guidance in creating systems that institutionalize diversion and ensure maximum numbers of eligible people receive community-based treatment.
Our partner, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), will help us identify parents who can benefit from SB394. We will help them share their stories across our media platform, building empathy for defendants who live with mental health issues and reducing stigma of seeking treatment.
Our goal is to create a scalable model for diversion courts nationwide. After successful implementation of SB394, we will share policy best practices with other states as they consider ways to reduce local incarceration.
Impact
When fully implemented, SB394 will provide community-based support to parents suffering from mental health illness at severe risk of incarceration, and their children. Children with parents with criminal convictions or who are incarcerated face stigma and disruptions in education and family life, which can permanently damage their professional and economic outcomes. They are also at higher risk of mental health problems or ending up in the foster, juvenile justice, or adult prison system. By allowing primary caregivers to complete alternative programs and receive mental health treatment, we are providing them an opportunity to keep their jobs, keep their families together, and stay out of jail or off the street.
When we are successful in influencing SB394’s implementation, we will see the following impacts: Reduction of the incarcerated population • Reduction in the number of people with convictions/pleas on their records • Statistics relating to the CA mental health epidemic trending downwards • Increased understanding of appropriate treatment options for those in the criminal justice system, leading to more effective treatment • Earlier intervention leading to reduction in deepening mental health issues • A shift in the conversation regarding mental health, and reduction in stigma • Fewer young people in the foster care and juvenile justice systems • Reduction in the development of mental health issues in young people • Improved well-being, family stability, and stronger communities • Reduction in the amount the state spends on incarceration facilities and cost savings to state: research shows that drug courts return to the community up to $27 for every $1 invested.
Leadership
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Nisha Anand
CEO
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Esteban Nuñez
State Policy Director
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Michael Mendoza
National Director, #cut50